Veteran jockey Edgard Zayas walked away from a terrifying spill at Aqueduct Racetrack after being thrown headfirst off his horse moments after a race began.
The frightening incident unfolded during Sunday’s eighth race when Zayas, riding a horse named Glint, attempted to move inward from an outside starting position shortly after leaving the gate, per the New York Post.
According to reports, Glint clipped heels with another horse, Screaming Uncle, creating immediate chaos near the back of the pack.
The contact caused Glint to stumble and panic, launching Zayas high into the air in a dramatic fall that could have ended much worse.
Instead of falling behind the horse — which is more common in racing accidents — Zayas flipped over the front of Glint and crashed headfirst into the dirt.
Despite the violent spill, the horse managed to avoid stepping on him as both continued moving forward.
The positioning of the horses likely helped prevent an even more serious disaster.
Because Glint and Zayas were trailing the field, the 32-year-old jockey avoided being trampled by the other six horses competing in the mile-long race.
Zayas quickly moved himself out of danger after hitting the track and escaped with only minor injuries.
The longtime jockey later reassured fans in a message posted to social media.
“Thank you to everyone for the prayers, messages, and positive thoughts today,” he wrote Monday night.
“Thank God I am OK and managed to escape any injuries!”
Zayas’ agent, Tito Fuentes, told USA Today that the jockey suffered only a “little cut” on his hand and face following the crash.
The veteran rider sat out Monday’s racing card at Aqueduct, also known as “The Big A,” after the frightening accident.
Zayas has competed in more than 15,000 races during his career and has recorded nearly 2,700 victories, making him one of the more experienced jockeys in the sport.
Still, Sunday’s spill is likely to remain one of the most memorable moments of his racing career.
The race itself continued after the accident, with Tizmarkus ultimately taking first place.
But after being launched over the front of a stumbling horse and walking away with only minor scrapes, Zayas may have felt like the biggest winner of the day.
